OWC

'OWC' Reviews

Since the launch of Apple's Retina MacBook last April, users have been looking for ways to expand the functionality of the single port included on the machine, a USB-C that can support a multitude of functions including power and data. Many third-party companies have begun shipping single-use dongles and small hubs for MacBook fans to be able to get full use out of their ultra-thin 12-inch notebooks.
All pictures in the review are of a pre-production unit lacking proper screen printing with port designations
OWC's USB-C Dock is one of the first full-featured alternatives for the MacBook. At $159.00, the 8-inch by 3.5-inch dock comes with ten ports for users to take advantage of: four USB Type-A, one USB Type-C, an SD card reader, HDMI with 4K display support, Gigabit Ethernet, an audio headphone jack, and one USB 3.1 Type-C computer link.
The first thing that should be noted is that the dock requires two included cables to fully function: an external 80W power source that plugs into an outlet, and the USB-C cable that connects everything to the MacBook. Thankfully, the power adapter also charges the MacBook while it's in use; after that initial setup, most things plugged into the dock work without any added steps.

'OWC' Articles

OWC today introduced its latest product, a Thunderbolt 3 USB-C Dock designed to work with the newly announced MacBook Pro. Designed for users who are concerned about the limited number of ports on the MacBook Pro, OWC's Thunderbolt 3 Dock offers a range of different ports for connecting displays, external hard drives, and other accessories.
The OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock has a total of 13 ports and it includes full support for Thunderbolt 3 with transfer speeds of up to 40Gb/s. Two Ultra HD 4K displays are supported, or a combination of 4K, HD, and other displays using the DisplayPort port and the Thunderbolt 3 port.
There are two Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports, each of which can support up to five daisychained Thunderbolt 3 devices. For connecting USB accessories, there are five USB-A 3.1 Gen 1 ports that support USB-A accessories, and two of the ports feature fast charging capabilities for charging the iPhone or iPad.
Other ports include FireWire 800, Gigabit Ethernet, mini DisplayPort, an SD Card reader, an audio combo port for headphones or microphones, and an S/PDIF digital audio port."With our critically-acclaimed Thunderbolt 2 Dock and USB-C Dock, OWC defined a new standard in providing more connectivity at a time when new computers were shipping with fewer ports," said Larry O'Connor, Founder and CEO, OWC. "The all-new Thunderbolt 3 Dock is the best expansion solution we've ever made, offering the incredible speed of Thunderbolt 3 technology coupled with 13 ports of connectivity, perfect for getting the most out of the new 2016 MacBook Pro."Announced last

OWC announced today that it has released new software drivers that expand Boot Camp support to its entire SSD lineup.
The "Dual Boot Enablers" are available as free downloads on OWC's website for multiple previously unsupported SSDs, including the OWC Aura SSD for Mid-2013 and later MacBook Air and Retina MacBook Pro models, OWC Aura SSD for the 2013 or newer Mac Pro, and the Mercury Accelsior S and Mercury Accelsior E2.
Boot Camp enables Mac users to partition their SSDs or hard drives and install Windows directly on the machine, allowing for OS X and Windows to be run side by side. It differs from virtualization software like Parallels and VMware Fusion, which allow Windows to run within OS X itself as essentially a desktop app.
OWC's Dual Boot Enabler can be installed on Macs running OS X 10.6.8 or

Other World Computing today announced a new product that will allow newer Retina MacBook Pro and MacBook Air owners to upgrade the storage in their notebooks for the first time.
Aura SSD upgrade kits are available in 480GB and 1TB capacities and will work with the Late-2013 Retina MacBook Pro and newer and the Mid-2013 MacBook Air and newer. At up to 1TB of storage, a Retina MacBook Pro or MacBook Air can gain up to 8x the capacity of the standard 128GB hard drive that comes with lower-end models. 1TB also exceeds the maximum factory drive available in the MacBook Air, which is limited to 512GB.
According to OWC, its Aura PCIe-based flash storage is designed using high-quality components that are fully compatible with Mac notebooks.
Tier-1 Flash - Aura SSDs use only top-rated flash for amazing performance and dependability.
Superior Error Correction - Three-level error correction with low-density parity checks provides significantly improved reliability, and RAID-like protection for your data.
Cell-Level Data Refresh - Aura's powerful embedded processor monitors and re-writes data blocks as needed to maintain correct charge at the cell level, improving the integrity of your data and extending the life of your drive.
Global Wear-Leveling - A global wear-leveling algorithm helps evenly distribute data across your SSD cells, extending the life of your drive by preventing any section of flash from getting worn out prematurely.Upgrade kits include all of the tools that are necessary to replace the solid state drive in a Mac notebook, and it also includes an OWC

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with OWC to give away the Envoy Pro mini, a desktop class solid state drive that fits into a keychain-sized enclosure. The Envoy Pro mini measures in at 3.7 inches by 0.94 inches by 0.44 inches, but houses a 120GB or 240GB SSD.
Despite being able to fit comfortably in a pocket, the Envoy Pro mini is nearly twice as fast as the average thumb drive, reaching sustained speeds up to 427MB/s, so it's excellent for tasks regular thumb drives can't achieve, like quickly transferring large files.
The Envoy Pro mini, which is available directly from OWC, is priced at $117.99 for the 120GB version or $184.99 for the 240GB version, but one MacRumors reader will have a chance to get the 120GB version for free.
To enter to win, use the Rafflecopter widget below and enter your email address. Your email address will not be given to any third party and will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner.
a Rafflecopter giveaway You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page. Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years of age or older are eligible to enter.
The contest will run from today (September 18) at 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time on September 25. The winner will be chosen randomly on September 25 and will be contacted by email. The winner have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address. The prizes

MacRumors attracts a broad audience
of both consumers and professionals interested in
the latest technologies and products. We also boast an active community focused on
purchasing decisions and technical aspects of the iPhone, iPod, iPad, and Mac platforms.